Baby Girl Karev
by Butterfly8272
Summary: Izzie Stevens is brought to the NICU of Grey-Sloan Memorial for an exciting case but what really catches her attention is a completely different patient. Alex/Jo
1. Chapter 1

**NOTE: This is an Alex and Jo story, although written in Izzie's POV it is not she who wins Karev. All of those who do not find joy and amusement in such scenarios should probably not continue reading this story (although it would be greatly appreciated all the same). Thank you bunches. **

It had been a too long since Izzie Stevens had walked the hall of Seattle Grace Hospital, long enough for the institution inherit a new name, Grey-Sloan Memorial. She was not sure whether it was the blatant reminder of the lives taken from tragedy or the foreign title the hospital now boasted, but for some reason Izzie found it hard to say the new name aloud. But this was just one of the many things had she found strange while walking through the corridor to get to the NICU. Faces had become unrecognizable since leaving and basic amenities had been upgraded until she had little confidence in the course was going to reach her destination. This confusion was quickly solidified when Izzie had to go to such lows as to ask an intern for directions.

What had brought Isobel Stevens to this particular NICU, in this exact hospital? It was nothing of her choosing, in fact she had even been so bold enough to try and persuade her colleague to change her mind on bringing her. What did she need her there for anyway? But it was an especially rare opportunity for an OB surgeon to consult on a case such as this and how could any self-respecting professional pass it up? And so Dr. Stevens found herself flying first class of Seattle with the deep sense of dread that she would be leading herself into a head-on collision with the past she buried far behind her, or so she thought. Her colleague, the esteemed Dr. Sharon Hamilton, was predictably oblivious to the tension and apprehension that Izzie fought to keep bottled up inside herself. Neither empathy nor sympathy had ever been Dr. Hamilton's talents throughout her career and that was not about to change during this visit.

"Dr. Avery has been informed that his services will be required after separation of both limbs is complete." Dr. Arizona Robbins rattled off to the team of surgeons and nursing staff who would be present during surgery. They were gathered around the small bed that held 8 week old Lily Pierce, the little girl born with Siernomelia syndrome. Born with her legs fused together, the team would begin the first of many surgeries the child would need to gain function of both limbs.

Izzie continued to listen to Dr. Robbins with one ear while she let her eyes wander around the rest of the unit. It was very much the same as the NICU she spent much her time in at her own hospital, the only difference being that it was larger with the capability of treating for more patients. Scrubs identified the medical staff and ill-fitting, wrinkled clothing made the fretful parents of the tiny patients recognizable. Each filled bed had its own small entourage of adults, each one completely in tune the most miniscule of change that came from their infant. Every crib had a constant warden right next to it, all except for one. The incubator right across from Lily Pierce's bed was occupied by a small infant with no one nearby to monitor it compulsively. By the standards set by many of the newborns filling the unit, this infant was big, coming in a pound or so heavier than the dangerously premature babies around the room. But by average standards, those infants born with a healthy birth weight, this newborn was much too tiny. Izzie read the chart written in heavy black ink that recited the specifics of the patient from where she stood.

NAME: BABY GIRL KAREV

DOB: MARCH 8, 4:25 AM

WEIGHT: 4 LBS 2 OZ

PARENT(S): ALEX KAREV & JO WILSON

PHYSICIAN: DR. A. ROBBINS

Izzie accredited jet lag and a complete lack of sleep to the confusion she felt after reading the handwritten notes. Why would Alex Karev be listed as the parent when he should be the physician? Shoddy work from the interns was her first thought until she found herself rereading it. 'Baby Girl Karev' is what it said, she was so brand new she had not even been given a name more than her surname – Karev. "Oh God." Izzie groaned under breath.

"What is it Dr. Stevens?" Dr. Hamilton asked with no hint of interest in her voice. She turned back to face to face the woman, desperately searching for some excuse for her reaction but coming up short. She was a fish out of water with no way to get out of the situation. But before she could make herself look truly incompetent, Dr. Robbins interrupted.

"Karev!" She barked, eyeing someone behind the group. "I told you to go home half an hour ago." The entire collection of staff turned their attention toward the crib holding "Baby Girl Karev". Right in front of her, manipulating several functions of the machinery monitoring the small infant, Alex Karev stood stiffly next to the bed. He looked worse than he had ever been after a 30 hour shift, after working the pit during back to back shift or any other scenario Izzie had seen her ex-husband in. Dark circles under his eyes showed his exhaustion and his complete lack of coordination demonstrated the anxiety and concern he had for the small being next to him. Tough, stoic Alex Karev was a wreck.

"You were supposed to message me every 35 minutes," Alex matched Dr. Robbin's tone. "It's been 50 and I still haven't gotten anything. If you would stop playing Top Surgeon long enough I wouldn't have to worry."

"I sent you two messages 15 minutes ago Karev, a vitals update and the cutest picture of your daughter yawning." Robbins said patiently. Alex angrily pulled out his phone to check his messages, likely looking for satisfaction in proving her wrong. But the look on his face as he studied the screen said differently. Dr. Robbins had in fact him their scheduled update.

"Yeah, well, I still can't leave…who's going to watch her while you're parading around you groupies." Alex said stubbornly.

"I have not been more than 5 feet away from her since you left. Alex, she is in very capable hands. Go and sleep before you collapse on my NICU floor." Alex still remained rooted in his spot. "Go!"

"Fine." He finally sighed. "But you're kidding yourself if you think I am going home. I'm going to be with Jo, down the hall so if anything changes…"

"I will send every intern at my expense to come and get." Robbins goaded him. Alex offered her one last scowl before turning his attention back to his daughter. He slipped his hand in the round outlet that allowed him to place his large hand on the baby's small head. He remained there for several long seconds before he finally relinquished his position. As Alex glanced once more at the group with Dr. Robbins his eye caught Izzie's and for a moment their stare remained intact and she watched as every emotion passed over his face. Shock, amazement, confusion, were the ones that Izzie could identify, the rest were lost to her. But the one he was finally left with was exhaustion. He did not approach her, did not ask why she was there, where she had been all these years. He had no sort of interest to keep him there. He walked away just as easily as he had walked in. Alex Karev was here for the sole purpose of seeing "Baby Girl Karev", a child that was his but not hers, one that would never be hers. This is what finally sunk in, watching him leave the unit without a 'hello' or 'goodbye'. He had filled every void she had left him with, and then some. Why could she not do the same?


	2. Chapter 2

The next time Isobel Stevens was reminded Alex Karev, it stung more than a dark look and a brush off. She had transferred to a hospital in Spokane one year earlier, after her mother had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Who else was going to help the woman take care of herself if Izzie did not? She tried not to resent the transition, she was there for her mother when she needed her most, but the hospital she was at was much smaller than any she had found employment in and nothing about it was cutting edge. Lately she had felt that she was slipping backwards, regressing instead of moving up, something she had not felt in a number of years, not since…him. But she tried to make the best of it, working her way up to head attending in the small OBGYN unit. She found satisfaction in treating her patients and managing the staff in the department and for now that would have to be enough.

"The medical team from Seattle is here to transfer Melody Carson." Hannah, the unit's head nurse, informed Izzie.

"Alright, send them to me before they move him." She instructed her while flipping through a patient's charts. "They aren't allowed to move him without my say-so."

"Will do."

"Thanks Hannah." Izzie started her rounds, meeting with each of her patients admitted to the hospital. She was currently supervising four women in active labor, not a particularly hectic night but it gave her enough to keep busy. Her fifth patient, Melody Carson, had been under observation since early that morning, since her high-risk pregnancy was topped with even concern when Izzie noticed signs of severe birth defects during a routine check-up. The diagnosis required more than what the small medical center could provide for the anxious woman and Izzie arranged for her to receive treatment somewhere that would be better equipped for the case, Grey-Sloan Memorial.

Izzie found herself back at the nurse's station when she was finally met with the collection of medical staff that the Seattle hospital had sent. All three visitors were dressed in the uniform blue scrubs that identified them as surgical residents, at least two of them were residents- Izzie was pretty sure that the mousy looking boy lurking in the back was an intern.

"Dr. Stevens?" One of the residents approached her. "We're here from Grey-Sloan Memorial for a medical transfer."

"Of course, Melody Carson, she's this way." Izzie lead all three down the hall, the awkward silence they carried with them was interrupted by the persistent chime of someone's ringtone. The other resident with them frantically dug in her scrub pocket to retrieve the offending device and silence it.

"I'm sorry." She quickly said. "Do you mind if I…? It's important." In any other case, Izzie would have reverted back to her experience as a teaching resident and scolded the subordinate for answering a phone call while working. But the pained expression the younger woman seemed so genuine Izzie could do no more than nod.

"Hello?" She answered the call. "What are you doing up? Baby, it is way past your bed time. . . I'm sorry you don't feel good. Did daddy make his super-special soup to help you feel better? . . . I know it's just soup from the can but daddy says it has magic medicine powers so it must be true. . .I'll be home when you wake up in the morning . . . No you can't stay awake that long . . . You'll have to ask daddy about that, last time you slept there he said you stole all of his blankets and tried to take up the whole bed . . . Okay . . . Tell daddy I'll call him as soon as I get back to Seattle. . . I will see you soon, Love you baby." The resident hung up the phone and blushed when she realized that all eyes were on her.

"My daughter has the flu and we're afraid it might turn into pneumonia and then she'll have to be admitted…again." She quickly explained to Izzie. "I'm Dr. Wilson by the way."

"That's okay, I understand." Izzie was not a stranger to staying in contact with home, she had become her mother's emergency contact for absolutely everything, the term "emergency" being use loosely. "Ms. Carson is in here. She needs constant fluids and has been a mild sedative for the past several hours, she's not taking well to the situation."

"I don't blame her." Dr. Wilson sighed as she read the patient's charts. "Ms. Carson? My name is Dr. Wilson and this is Dr. Edwards, we're here to take you to Seattle, to Grey-Sloan Memorial." She continued to speak to the woman with ease, reassuring every concern Ms. Carson brought up.

"How old is your daughter?" Izzie attempted to make conversation while she supervised the transfer a little while later.

"Three and a half going on twenty." A small smile played on Dr. Wilson's lips. "She's smart for her age and she knows it. She can talk her way out of just about anything, especially with my husband."

"Is your husband home with her now?"

"Yeah, he volunteered to take a few days off to stay home with her, which is good because he knows all of the "secret medicines" to help you get better that only "kid doctors" know."

"Secret medicines? What are those" Izzie could not help but ask.

"Most of them are just your normal remedies that Alex just adds a little dramatic flair to, like making Campbell's chicken noodle soup in the "special" pink cooking pot. I found the thing on clearance at some department store and he told me that no way would that ever be used in the house and that I should just throw it out. Now he uses it more than I ever have." Dr. Wilson scuffed playfully. "And he will set up the most intricate nest of blankets and pillows you have ever seen on the living room floor in front of the TV, so that Hayley can watch her favorite movies and be comfortable enough to fall asleep."

"That sounds like quite the routine." Izzie said, openly impressed by her husband's antics.

"We have had lots of practice." Dr. Wilson explained easily. "Hayley was eight weeks premature and her immune system has never really caught up, she catches bugs pretty easily. "

"That must have been scary for you, her coming so early." She felt strange, talking so candidly to this woman she just met about her personal life. But Dr. Wilson seemed to truly enjoy talking about her little family.

"I was a wreck through the entire event but Alex stayed calm enough that no real damage was done. But Hayley has been a surprise from the very start so we really shouldn't expect much less from her." They had made it out of the room and were now in the hallway, where the team from Grey-Sloan would wheel the patient to the awaiting ambulance. "I'm so sorry to talk your ear off about myself. Alex and I both work at Memorial and everyone seems to know way to much about us anyway so any chance I get to talk about my daughter to someone who doesn't already know is too good to pass up, I guess." Dr. Wilson said sheepishly

"No, I loved it. She sounds so adorable."

"She is." There was the smile again.

"Jo, 'you ready?" Dr. Edwards called from down the hall where she and the mute intern stood waiting with Ms. Carson on the gurney.

"Yeah, I'm coming." She said. Izzie felt herself stiffen at the name. 'Jo Wilson', she knew that name from somewhere. Where had she heard it?

"Wilson. Is that your married name?

"No," Jo said, looking confused at the question. "It's Karev."

"Jo, let's go." Dr. Edwards said impatiently, tapping her foot for dramatic effect.

"I'm coming. It was nice meeting you Dr. Stevens, thank you." She quickly said before leaving to join her colleagues. Izzie was too distracted to do more than mutter a 'goodbye' toward the leaving group. Something had begun to grow in the pit of her stomach, something she did not like. Izzie was stuck on the name Karev, Alex Karev. Alex cooked chicken soup in a pink pot just to make a little girl feel better? Alex let a small child hog all of the blankets? This woman, Jo Wilson, was married to the same man she had divorced years ago. But in some way they had married completely different men. Who was this person that Jo Wilson had gushed about? Why did she have everything that Izzie did not?


End file.
